You Can Take a Horse to Water

17th July 2012

“You can take a horse to the water, but you can’t make it drink!” How true is that saying when it comes to coaching business owners. I can tell, ask, plead and even convince them that the actions we agree on need to be done, but unless they fully understand why they are doing it, or they want to make changes badly enough, then the chances are that things will not get done.
As I have always said, coaching only works if the business owner genuinely wants to make things better in their lives and their business. I explain to them that the more often I am there to chase them and hold them accountable, then the faster their lives will change for the good. However, very often business owners will still resist having someone coming to chase them up too often (in their opinion) and initially they will commit slightly half heartedly i.e. a visit once every three or four weeks. But as they gradually see the benefits, and feel their lives improving they finally get it.
Just in the last week or so, two of my clients have said that they want to up the frequency of my visits, as they know they are benefitting from it, and they recognise that the power of coaching through being held accountable to carrying out actions in an agreed time period, really does work.
Going back to the start of the blog, if I wait for them to take this on board, then I really get their full commitment to being coached. If I try to force it upon them, then I tend to get resistance, and instead of moving things forward, they tend to remain rather static.
Selling anything to anyone involves the same principles. If you want someone to buy your product, your service, or even a concept, you need them to understand it, and for them to say they genuinely want it.

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